KICKBOARD FRONT KICK TO SAFETY
Teach children and adolescents to use a kickboard and continuous kicking to travel toward a safe point such as the pool wall.
How to Perform
- Have the child hold a kickboard at arm’s length with straight elbows, standing near the pool wall in chest-deep water.
- Cue the child to push off gently from the wall into a horizontal body position supported by the kickboard.
- Ask the child to perform continuous flutter kicks while looking forward or slightly down, aiming toward a designated safe point such as the opposite wall.
- Encourage steady breathing, with the face above water or practicing simple exhales into the water as appropriate.
- Assist the child in stopping safely by grabbing the wall or standing when they reach the target, then repeat over short lengths.
Key Execution Cues
Remember: Keep legs straight but relaxed from the hips, make small
fast kicks, and hold the board firmly without locking the elbows too hard.
Safety & Precautions
Important: Use caution in children with shoulder pain or limited
upper limb strength; shorten distances initially for those with low endurance.
Additional Safety Notes: Stay near the child’s side, adjust distance to match ability, and stop if fatigue or loss of form appears.
Exercise Modifications
Make it Harder (Progressions)
Increase distance, ask for more consistent kicking speed, or add simple directional changes while holding the board.
Make it Easier (Regressions)
Shorten distances, allow one hand on the board and one hand with the therapist, or practice in shallower water with more vertical body position.